The Department of Veterans Affairs will begin to cover gender confirmation surgery costs for transgender veterans.
Secretary Denis McDonough announced Saturday at a Pride Month event in Orlando that the change is “the right thing to do” and "can save lives."
The department will resume covering gender reassignment surgery for veterans within two years of service.
He reportedly said at the event:
This time will allow VA to develop capacity to meet the surgical needs that transgender veterans have called for and deserved for a long time and I am proud to begin the process of delivering it.
McDonough said the move will allow “transgender vets to go through the full gender confirmation process with VA by their side.”
He pointed out that the decision was made based on healthcare recommendations from doctors.
This is a health care decision that has very real physical health care impacts as well as significant mental health impacts.
There are reportedly more than 134,000 transgender veterans and over 15,000 transgender service members currently serving in the military.
The VA estimates that less than 4,000 veterans would be seek gender reassignment surgery and that the move will not be made official until it goes through a public comment period, spokesman Terrence Hayes told the Washington Post.
McDonough’s announcement comes as the Biden administration looks to increase the protections and benefits of transgender service members.
In the early days of his administration, President Joe Biden issued an executive order reversing a Trump-era policy that banned transgender individuals from enlisting in the military.
McDonough in February ordered a review of the VA's policies to “ensure that transgender Veterans and employees do not face discrimination on the basis of their gender identity and expression.”